Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects your brain and spinal cord. It damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects
your nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks messages between your brain and your body, leading to the symptoms of MS. They can include the following:

Visual disturbances

Muscle weakness

Trouble with coordination and balance

Sensations such as numbness, prickling, or "pins and needles"

Thinking and memory problems

No one knows what causes MS. It may be an autoimmune disease, which happens when your body attacks itself. Multiple sclerosis affects
women more than men. It often begins between the ages of 20 and 40. Usually, the disease is mild, but some people lose the ability to write, speak or walk. There is no cure for MS, but medicines may
slow it down and help control symptoms. Physical and occupational therapy may also help. NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

The LSPVA MS Group meets the second
Monday of every month at the Dallas VA medical center - SCI Dinning Room at 12 Noon. For more information contact Laureen Billings at 214-494-1454 or via email at
Lauren7777@aol.com